Good Morning Holy Spirit - Chapter 5

Good Morning Holy Spirit

Chapter 5: Whose Voice Do You Hear?

1. How are you led by the Spirit?

Everyday, as I go through my day - changing diapers, playing dress-up with my girls, cleaning toilets, washing dishes, reading Facebook status updates, or blogging, whatever it is my day holds, I am constantly having a private conversation with the Holy Spirit.  He speaks to me quietly through the scriptures, and there are times when I just know that I need to send a message to someone or to call and share something specific with a friend or loved one.  It is hard to explain, but it is just a quiet nudge, and suddenly I just know I'm supposed to do or say or write something.  It is an amazing, exciting and comforting experience...because I know that He is with me, in everything, He is walking with me, leading me, guiding me, and protecting me.

2. How early in the Bible does the Holy Spirit first appear?

In the very beginning...it was the Holy Spirit that hovered over the face of the deep, before God spoke anything into existence!

3. Define the breath of life that flowed through Adam's body?

The breath of life that flowed through Adam, making him alive, not just a body with flesh and blood, but with a spirit...that breath was the very breath of God...God the Holy Spirit blew over and into Adam, bringing him to life, and into communion with Himself.

4. What do we have in common with Adam, spiritually speaking?

Adam walked and talked with God everyday (since the scriptures say that no one has seen the Father, and that every time the father spoke it was like thunder, I think it safe to assume that when the bible says Adam walked and talked with God, it means God the Holy Spirit) and we have the same ability.  We can walk and talk to God just as Adam did, because the Holy Spirit is God and He is here with us everyday. Once Adam sinned, man could no longer could commune with God in this way, But Jesus paid the price, so that the Holy Spirit could once again commune with us daily.

5. Do you agree or disagree with the statement that "the Holy Spirit is God"? Explain your answer.

Absolutely! The Holy Spirit was there in the beginning, He lead the Prophets, Judges, and Kings of Israel all the way through the Old Testament, and He was there when the virgin Mary conceived the Son of God, and He is the comforter and teacher who leads us today...God the Father and God the Son, both work with and speak through the Holy Spirit.  Just as we are made of body, soul, and spirit, three distinct parts, but all in one person, God is also, three distinct personalities, but all one God. God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit - We were made in God's image!!

6. What is the scriptural proof that the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit are one?

In Genesis, God didn't say let me make man in my image, no He said let us (plural because God has three distinct parts) make man in our (once again it is plural) image (singular because the three are one). We are made in the image of all three distinct personalities of God...they worked together to create the heavens and the earth and though they are three distinct parts, they are comprised into one God.  

7. Worldly people haven't a clue about things of the Spirit. Why is that?

Because until you are born of the Spirit the things of the Spirit seem foolish to you.  It is only when you have accepted Christ as your Savior and have the Holy Spirit as your teacher that the things of the Spirit start making sense.  It is like listening in an unknown language...without and interpreter, you have no idea what is being said, but once you find someone who knows the language and they translate the words for you, then you can clearly understand and know what is said.

8. Reread the seven kinds of communion with the Holy Spirit. What steps can you take to activate them in your life?

Start spending time with the Lord.  Through prayer, bible reading, singing praise and worship songs, etc. The more time you spend with Him and in His presence the more ways you will start communing with Him.  When we commune with Him, we learn more about Him, and the more we know Him, the more we love Him, and when you love someone you want to spend time with them.  So the cycle will start and someday you will look back over time, and see just how much you have grown in your friendship and relationship with God. He wants to be your best friend, and in all reality He is, even if you have not recognized it, or returned the feelings, His love for you always has and always will be the same.  He loves you and me more than you or I could ever understand!

Good Morning Holy Spirit - Chapter 4

Good Morning Holy Spirit

Chapter 4: Person to Person

1. Are you ready to meet the Holy Spirit personally? How can you do this?

If you do not know that Holy Spirit personally, please take this time to ask Him to come and show you who He is.  You don't have to do anything more but be honest and open and willing to learn all He has to teach you.

2. Just what does "being filled with the Holy Spirit" really mean?

Being filled with the Holy Spirit, is something that happens when we accept Christ as our Savior- Jesus then sends His Spirit (the Holy Spirit) to dwell in us.

"I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; 

and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, 

who loved me and gave Himself for me." Galatians 2:19-21

And then there is the infilling of the Holy Spirit which is evidenced as speaking in a heavenly prayer language.  

"And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, 

as the Spirit gave them utterance" 

Acts 2:3-5

But don't stop there...make it a priority to get to know the Holy Spirit personally...He wants to be your friend, companion, teacher, and much more.

3. List the ways in which you could think of the Holy Spirit as a personal friend.

When I think of the Holy Spirit I am filled with a deep love and desire to be with Him always.  He is here for me when I don't have the words to express the way I feel, and He understands.  He always says the right thing, at the right time.  He helps me when I just don't know what decision I should make, and He loves me even though I fail Him often.  He is everything a friend should be and more, He is closer than a brother, loves me more and my mother or father, and never steers me the wrong way. He is the best friend anyone could ever ask for.

4. Where is the Holy Spirit: in heaven or on earth? What is the scriptural basis for you answer?

The Holy Spirit is here on earth!

Jesus Promises Another Helper - John 14:15-18

15 “If you love Me, keep My commandments. 16 And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever— 17 the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you. 18 I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you.

5. Explain the Rapture. What is its significance to you?

The rapture is when Jesus Christ returns for His church (those who believe on Him for Salvation).  The significance of the rapture is that someday all believers will be caught up together with Christ...this earth is not our home, and someday soon we will all get to go to heaven, our real home!

6. Why is the Holy Spirit called the Holy Spirit?

The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of God the Father and God the Son. He is Holy, because He is God and God is Holy.  What better name could he have than Holy Spirit - it describes Him perfectly!

7. The Holy Spirit is the one who __________,  who ________ with me.

The Holy Spirit is the one who communes, who fellowships with me.

8. Is it proper to think of the Holy Spirit as the greatest teacher? Why?

Yes, The Holy Spirit is the one who inspired and wrote the entire Bible...who better to teach us about the Word of God than the very author? 

10 But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God.11 For what man knows the things of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so no one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God. 12 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God.13 These things we also speak, not in words which man’s wisdom teaches but which the Holy Spirit teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual. 1 Corinthians 2:10-13

9. What does the author say is the greatest sin against the Holy Spirit?

Grieving the Holy Spirit - When we deny His power and presence we grieve Him, we step out of God's will. When we do this God's favor and blessings are no longer allowed to come into our lives - God does not take this sin lightly.  It is important to know the Holy Spirit and to follow His leading - to honor Him and give Him all the praise and glory...When we do, we will also bring Honor and glory to God the Father and to Jesus the Son.

Good Morning Holy Spirit - Chapter 3

Good Morning Holy Spirit

Chapter 3: "Tradition, Tradition"

1. What is God's plan of salvation for you?

God's plan of salvation for me and for you start with His only Son, He came and lived a perfect life, then died on the cross, He took the sins, burdens, and sicknesses of the whole world on Himself, and once and for all He paid the price for our redemption.  Because of Jesus' gift, we have the ability to stand before God, to know God personally, and to walk with God daily.  God created each of us for one purpose...to be like Christ.  Once we accept God's gift of salvation, then we start to  learn and grow through spending time in God's Word, and time in His presence, and each day we become more like Jesus.  That is the goal, that is God's desire! 

2. Have you asked Jesus to be the Lord of your life? Have you publically accepted Him as your personal Savior? If so, hallelujah! If not, what is holding you back?

Each one of us, has a need for salvation.  Doing good things, going to church, and trying to be a good person will not save anyone! Our good works are as filthy rags...the only way to be saved is through Jesus.  I remember an old song...

"He paid a debt He did not owe, I owed a debt I could not pay, 

I needed someone to wash my sins away.  

But now I sing a brand new song, Amazing Grace! 

Christ Jesus paid the debt that I could never pay"

3. Have you been ridiculed because of your Christian beliefs? How does your embarrasment or humiliation compare with the sacrifice of Christ on the cross, dying for you?

Yes, I remember times that people who were supposedly friends of mine, would ridicule me and make fun of me because of my beliefs.  I also, have had people choose not to be my friend because they wanted to go and do the things they knew I believed were wrong...so it was easier for them to end the friendship, than deal with the reminder of, the conviction they felt, but were trying to ignore.

4. If your family members reject your Christian beliefs, what can you do? Name three things.

First off, I would pray for them continually...our prayers can accomplish things we could never do.

second, I would make sure to continue to love those family members, despite the mean things they may do to me.

and Third, I would be ready and willing to talk to them about my faith when they are ready.

5. Is there a physical presence of the Holy Spirit that can be seen and felt in addition to a spiritual presence? What would be some signs of that presence?

Yes, the Holy Spirit is very real.  Just as God the Father or Jesus the Son is real, so is the Holy Spirit.  In my life, I've found that the Holy Spirit brings a peace, and healing...when someone spends time with the person of the Holy Spirit, just being around that person, other people feel different; they find themselves suddenly aware of their sin, or their broken heart begins to mend, a person going through a rough time, may find complete peace.  I compare it to the wind...you cannot physically see the wind, but you definitely can see the effects of the wind.  The Holy Spirit is much like that.  Things start happening miraculously, and though you may not see the hands causing these miracles, you know that you have been in the presence of the Holy Spirit.

6. Do you believe the Holy Spirit can heal any affliction?  What is the scriptural proof of this?

Yes, I believe that we are healed by through Christ body, that was broken and bruised for you and me. His sacrifice on the cross not only paid for our sins, but brought healing and restoration to our mind, body and spirit.  We can not only be right with God spiritually, but we can be healed and restored physically and mentally.  

"But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed."
Isaiah 53:4-6

"who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness—by whose stripes you were healed."
1 Peter 2:23-25

Good Morning Holy Spirit - Chapter 2

Good Morning Holy Spirit

Chapter 2 - From Jaffa to the Ends of the Earth

1.Do you talk with the Lord in your prayers as if He was a good friend who stopped by? Practice spontaneous and open prayer right now.

It may seem odd at first, talking out loud to someone you can't see...but I have found that the times when I speak to Jesus as if He is right there, like a friend who came to visit, these are some of the most wonderful times of communion and closeness.  I encourage you to try it!

2. Do you need to suffer for God to take you seriously? Why, or why not?

No! I believe that there are times of suffering, and those times help us to draw on our faith in Jesus, and when we walk through the hard times leaning on Him, we come out stronger than we were before. But even in the good times when we call on the Lord He hears us, and is right there with us.  We should always lean on the Lord and trust Him, and stay in close communion with Him whether in good or bad times.

3. How do you interpret the author's dream about being a prisoner in chains and led down endless stairs?

I believe that the Lord was showing Benny, that he was slowly being pulled and lead down into the evil and darkness of sin.  It was showing Benny that he had a need for a Savior.  

4. In the same dream, what is the symbolism of the angel's appearance and the shackles falling from the author's hands and feet?

The Angel in the dream represented Salvation through Jesus, when we accept this amazing gift, His sacrifice on the cross pays the price for our sins and we are set freed from our chains and burdens and He brings us out of the darkness into His glorious light.  

5. Does God use dreams and visions to send messages to "ordinary" men and women? describe a dream that seemed to carry a message for you.

Absolutely! God has given me many dreams in my lifetime, and though I have not always understood them right away, in God's time He reveals what they mean.  Just this last December God gave me a dream, it would take too long to tell the whole thing, but the gist is this...

All my friends and family were gathered together at my house, and before we had time to realize all of what was going on, I mean by the time we heard, saw, and recognized it for what it really was, a huge bomber dropped two huge missiles on either side of the house.  Everything for miles around was gone, Everyone was in a panic trying to figure out what to do, Flames were lapping the side of the house and coming through the windows...I ran to get my girls out of their beds, and as I returned to the living room I woke up.

At first I focused on the panic, terror and horror of seeing great destruction all around, and living through such a terrible experience, because it was as real as a dream can get...Real!!  But for the next two weeks the Lord faithfully showed me through sermons I heard, scriptures I read, devotionals I read, even songs I heard on the radio, over and over again God showed me that this dream may have been a warning of something terrible coming, but that is not what God wanted me to focus on.  He wanted me to know that no matter the terror, or the fear, He is here, protecting us.  Not even huge missiles landing right outside our house can get through God's covering of protection.  I believe this dream is more a promise of protection from whatever may come, than a warning of things to come, and I am so thankful that God loves me enough to give me this promise personally, not just for me but for my friends and family as well. Thank you Jesus! You are so Good!!

Good Morning Holy Spirit - Chapter 1

Good Morning Holy Spirit

Chapter 1: "Can I Really Know You?"

1. Has the Holy spirit been a distant third person of the Trinity to you? What must you do to bring Him into your life?

No! As I've grown in my walk with the Lord, each day the Holy Spirit is here with me, teaching me, leading and guiding me.  I've had dreams and visions, and I've had him speak clearly to me.  He is so gentle and kind, patient and loving, His presence is so wonderful! I am thankful everyday for my closest friend.  The truth is, the Holy Spirit is with me, and fills me, He knows my thoughts, my hopes and dream, and He knows all the bad things, just as He knows all the good things about me.  But He loves me anyways!  I love spending time in His presence, and learning more and more each day!

If you do not have a personal and daily relationship with the Holy Spirit, all you have to do is accept the gift of salvation through Jesus' gift on the cross, and then confess your a sinner and ask the Holy Spirit to come, teach, lead, guide, and fill you, He will come if you invite Him!

2. What do people filled with the Holy Spirit look like? Are they somehow different? How would you recognize them?

I believe that some people who are filled with the Holy Spirit may at times have a glow like Benny Hinn describes in this chapter, but more often than not, they look normal on the outside, but you will find that they are peaceful, they have wisdom, they have power in their prayers, and they consider God their best friend...these people stand out because of the fruit of the spirit permeating their life.

3.Have you ever witnessed a healing, or other miracle, attributed to the Holy Spirit? What is your definition of a miracle?

A miracle is when something that is physically and scientifically impossible, becomes possible.  Examples of this include, physical healing, financial provisions, sometimes it even can be something like a change in the weather.  I have seen the Holy Spirit change the weather because of a prayer of faith, I've seen God provide when there was just no other way, and I've seen Him heal people...the husband of a dear friend at church, was on his death bed just a few weeks ago, with the doctors giving him no hope to live, but God had other plans, and the doctors and nurses are now calling him Lazarus Man.  

The dead walk, the bind see, the deaf hear...So amazing!!

4. What is the mission of the Holy Spirit among us?

I believe the mission of the Holy Spirit is to lead and guide us, and comfort and protect us, as He is teaching us to be like Jesus!

5. If you want the Bible to come alive for you, what must you do?

If you want the Bible to come alive, you must ask the Holy Spirit to be your teacher...He will open your eyes to see things you've never seen before.  You may have read the Bible in it's entirety, but if the Holy Spirit was not teaching you and guiding you, you missed a lot! As you read with the Holy Spirit as your guide, the scriptures suddenly leap off the page and you find yourself with a deeper understanding of what God is saying in His Word.